Get your child to eat — and maybe even enjoy — healthier foods

First lady Michelle Obama launched her “Let’s Move” campaign this week to highlight, and hopefully help remedy, the current childhood obesity epidemic. If you think epidemic sounds a little too dramatic, then consider this: It is estimated that one out of every three children in the United States is obese. If you’ve gotten into some bad habits with your children’s eating habits, here are some simple tips on how to right your course:

By the numbers. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a simple formula for helping prevent childhood obesity. It’s 5-2-1-0, and it breaks down like this:

5 — as in eat five fruits and vegetables a day.

2 — as in limit screen time — TV in particular — to 2 hours or less a day. (The AAP says to avoid any screen time for children under the age of 2.)

1 — as in do one hour of physical activity a day.

0 — as in have zero sugar-sweetened drinks — or at least make sugary drinks a special treat and not a veritable birthright.

Good diet. Beyond the numbers, the AAP also has some recommendations about what type of practices can help prevent obesity:

• Have breakfast every morning.

• Choose low-fat dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheese.

• Cut down on fast food and takeout food, as well as going to restaurants.

• Eat a diet rich in calcium and high in fiber.

• Enjoy meals together as a family.

Try and try again. If the only green thing your child will eat is Jell-O, you clearly need to introduce some healthier fare into his diet. But as you know, that’s no easy feat.

Dr. Marc Jacobson, a member of the AAP’s child obesity work group, says studies have shown it takes 10 times of presenting a new food before a kid will develop a taste for it.

The key is not to cajole or obsess about whether your child eats everything you offer up. At meal time, Jacobson says, simply add the new type of food to the plate — whether it be broccoli or Brussels sprouts — without comment and leave it at that.

Watch your mouth. Jacobson says instilling healthy habits should never devolve into berating your kid about the number on the scale. “Don’t ever talk about their weight or shape,” he says. “You should focus more on behavior.”

Prepare yourself. Another way to get kids interested in nutritious food is to get them involved in its preparation. Whether it be helping out with dinner or even growing your own vegetables, kids are more willing to eat foods they’ve had a hand in making, Jacobson says.

Eat the walk. As with any parenting practice, you will have greater success if you set a good example. You can’t gobble down Oreos and double cheeseburgers and swill Big Gulps of Dr Pepper and expect your child to do differently. “Dad doesn’t get a meatball hero sandwich while the kid eats a salad,” Jacobson says.

For more information and recommendations, check out the Let’s Move Web site at letsmove.gov.